Ho, ho, ho – It’s Christmas time again. Were you taken by surprise? Every year it seems to come around a little faster, but we’re more prepared this year than we have been in the past.

Often, people tell me that when they come to my house, it smells just like one of those fancy espresso shops or Italian bistros. They enjoy stopping in for coffee any time, knowing that we always welcome friends or family for a chat. We have a great espresso machine, a Jura Capresso espresso machine bought on line a couple of years ago from 1st in Coffee, a web site you can use for all the coffee and espresso equipment and supplies you need. Since then, we’ve purchased a new “Bunn” coffee maker that keeps the water hot and brews an instant pot for those impromptu gatherings at my kitchen counter.

This year, we’re using the 1st in Coffee site for most of our Christmas shopping. They offer free shipping for the holidays on most items and we can have our gifts shipped directly to family members who live far from us. I can’t wait to hear how my daughter and her kids like their new Jura Capressoespresso machine. I’ve included supplies for maintenance and “Illy” coffee to make sure they get the best results from their new machine. It’s a great (and easy) way to carry on a family tradition!